Friday, January 3, 2014

Gluten Free Diet for Celiac Disease

Gluten Free Diet


Living with Celiac Disease

What is Celiac Disease exactly?
Celiac disease is an immune system affliction in which people cannot eat/drink/consume any form of gluten because it will cause damage to their small intestine. The body will attack itself each time the afflicted person consumes gluten products. This in turn creates a problem because it causes the body to be unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream - leading to malnourishment.

Who does Celiac Disease affect and what are the symptoms?
Celiac disease affects each person differently. This immune system affliction may be found in child or adult alike - the important thing is to be able to find it in early on stages and begin treating/living with the condition. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for Celiac Disease. Looking out for the notable and telling symptoms below will help you with your diagnosis so that you may request help and tests from your doctor (also following a gluten free diet will help ease some of these symptoms which could be a sign).

  • Bloating and/or Abdominal Pain
  • Seizures
  • Fatigue
  • Tingling in Limbs
  • Anemia
  • Weight Loss
  • Vomiting
Self help via a Gluten Free Diet
The best thing you can do for yourself or loved one that is suffering from Celiac Disease is start on a gluten free diet. It's a good idea to go gluten free even in the earlier stages when you only suspect that the affliction is present. When going on the gluten free diet, you will need to avoid any and all wheat, barley, and rye. Always look for products that say gluten free on the packaging or read the ingredient list yourself to make sure there are no hidden gluten ingredients inside. Also check that the facility does not have the risk of contamination with wheat. (This information is usually listed right under the ingredients list.) Another idea would be to create your own snack and meals from recipes listed in gluten free diet cookbooks or on websites. One example of this is a sugar cookie recipe that uses a great flour alternative (shown in photo above).

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